Colonoscopy Prep

I started to cut down on food about 3 days prior to my colonoscopy my one was at 9.45 in the morning so on the day before I had a really small breakfast and just chicken soup for lunch then just drinks in afternoon, but no red or purple drinks/food as this can be confused as blood in the colon.  You need your colon to be as cleaned out as it possibly can so cutting down a couple of days before is a good thing to do if you possibly can.  Good luck   

Yes, I had toast for breakfast and  small lunch and then nothing except clear soup or tea, The drink I took didn't work at first, and that was taken in the morning, but the one at 4pm made up for it and you'll need to be very close to a toilet for the next few hours!! I thought I was going to pass out by 10pm but maybe i hadn't drunk enough water, I t was fine and no problem the next day when I had the colonoscopy, it wasn't painful and i worried for nothing, The prep was the worst part for me! Good luck .

PS, You should have been given written  details so you know what to eat and when  etc...

I started two days before.   The first day is a light meal of rice and the next day with clear with only water at night.   I found the Magnesium Citrate and Miralax with Gatorade was not enough.   I had to have two enemas to get cleaned out and even that left a reside near the Ileum, near the end of the Colonoscopy.   Next time I will start the process earlier and may get a colonic the day before so I will be totally cleaned out.  I want to know if there was scarring from the past Appendectomy.  I will also ask the doctor to explore more past the Ileum and through the Ileocecal valve to glimpse at the small intestine for the same reason.

Hi Mindy. As Jane said, there are instructions with the prep. I followed them exactly, keeping to the times and amounts etc and was squeaky clean. I didn't find the taste or amount of liquid a problem and the colonoscopy was not uncomfortable. A good report too. The warnings to keep close to a toilet are important! I used baby wipes etc which helped. Looking forward to your after colonoscopy post... Best wishes. 

Here is the plan I used with my most successful colonoscopy prep: Stopped eating meat seven days prior to the test. Following that I ate a low-residue diet for five days. The remaining time I stayed with a liquid diet. The day prior to my colonoscopy exam I drank 15 OZ. of magnesium citrate at 7PM. and followed that with four 8 OZ. glasses of GatorAid  On on the morning of my test, I drank another 15 OZ. of magnesium citrate at 7AM, which was six hours prior to my test, and then drank four more 8OZ glasses of GatorAid in the next two hours. Following the instructions from the hospital, I did not drink any lquid for the next four hours prior to my test. I recommend that you not get insructions from anyone but your doctor and this includes me as well. Everyone has a different constitution, so don't do what someone else did because it worked well for them. I do have a tip for you though. Wear an adult "pamper" to and from your test as this will catch any leakage and remove the worry. For those of us with the right equipment an athletic supporter (jock strap) gives you some privacy and reduces the effect of the air inflation that helps the doctor get a good view. Again, the best advice I have is for you to not cut any corners.....strictly follow the doctors insructions. This exam is really no big deal, and like me you will probably feel a little foolish due to the anxiety and worry you experienced for no good reason.. 

I think it depends a bit on the individual but why would you want to risk having to do the test a second time? Going through all that twice. I would follow the instructions they give you.

Hi

I was given 3 sachets of picolax and told to start a low fibre diet and clear liquids 3 days before then wasn't aloud any food from 2oclock the day before and then no fluids after 11:30 on the day my procedure was at 2 o'clock in afternoon and doctor even said in my debrief that it was nice and clear. The main thing to bear in mind is the clearer it is the more they can see. Hope this helps

Good luck